To make matters worse for the Japanese driver, he is without a points-scoring finish in his last six races and with his Red Bull contract up at the end of the season<\/a>, he needs a turnaround in form to cement his position as an F1 driver heading into 2026.<\/p>\n Tsunoda made an honest admission about his future<\/a> after last week\u2019s Belgian GP, stating that he would be lying if he wasn\u2019t worried about his current seat at Red Bull. <\/p>\n However, it seems like Helmut Marko<\/a> has a date set in stone for when a verdict will be served.<\/p>\n READ MORE:\u00a0Who is Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko? Everything to know<\/a><\/p>\n Helmut Marko confirms that Yuki Tsunoda\u2019s future will be determined \u2018after the summer break\u2019<\/p>\n Speaking with GPOne<\/a> ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix<\/a> weekend, Marko was asked about the key traits Laurent Mekies has brought to the team since his appointment to the team principal role following Christian Horner<\/a>\u2018s abrupt sacking.<\/p>\n Marko replied, \u201cHe\u2019s down-to-earth and has both feet on the ground. His discussions with the drivers are also more technical. Yuki Tsunoda improved in qualifying. Unfortunately, the strategy was wrong in the race.\u201d<\/p>\n CategoryYuki TsunodaMax Verstappen2025 points10185Grand Prix results19Grand Prix qualifying011Grand Prix wins02Grand Prix poles04Grand Prix podiums05Best finish9th1stRetirements11Retirements (classified finish)00Fastest laps01Grand Prix points finishes312Sprint results02Sprint qualifying02Sprint wins01Sprint poles00Sprint podiums01The 2025 F1 teammate head-to-head battle of Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen<\/p>\n Tsunoda\u2019s seventh-place grid slot for the Belgian Grand Prix was his best qualifying effort so far for the Austrian constructor. <\/p>\n When asked if this turnaround has helped Tsunoda\u2019s chances of retaining his seat, Marko responded, \u201cOur driver evaluation traditionally takes place after the summer break. At the moment, everything is open. We\u2019re looking at performances \u2013 both positive and negative.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:\u00a0Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda\u2019s life outside F1 from height to parents<\/a><\/p>\n Laurent Mekies reuniting with Yuki Tsunoda should have a positive impact on the F1 driver<\/p>\n Mekies is already making his mark on Red Bull<\/a> by doing things that never previously happened at the team under Horner, such as the decision to give Tsunoda one of the upgraded floors that was a spare for Verstappen\u2019s car. <\/p>\n It is things like this that will improve the confidence of a driver who isn\u2019t having the easiest time on track at the moment. The change saw an instant uptick in performance from Tsunoda, who went on to place the car in Q3 for the first time since the Miami Grand Prix in May.<\/p>\n Since the news of Mekies\u2019 arrival to the team was announced at the beginning of July, Red Bull staff noticed the immediate change in attitude from Tsunoda<\/a>, who was reported to have been feeling mentally and physically good ahead of the Belgian GP weekend.<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2227261472-1-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Mark Thompson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n